Current systems and methods for generating velocity and force using hydraulics as the transmission medium have numerous problems.
For example, commonly used centralized high pressure hydraulic systems are designed for plant wide use which requires complex and expensive high pressure hydraulic piping networks to the point of use. Thus, the installation of this piping network is both time consuming and laborious thereby resulting in a major expense and an operational problem that causes schedule delays. Costly power losses through the piping network are also significant. There is also a problem with leaking pipe joints and connections that waste power and create operational hazards. Hence, the piping network often costs more than the operational components.
Current centralized high pressure hydraulic systems also require large oil reservoirs with hydraulic filtration and oil cooling components, expensive high-pressure hydraulic pumps that sense the load requirements and adjust the velocity of linear or rotary actuators, expensive high-pressure hydraulic valves used to limit horsepower and control the force and velocity of hydraulic actuators, high-pressure hydraulic directional valves to control the direction of movement of the linear or rotary hydraulic actuators, and expensive remote sensing devices that signal the velocity of the linear or rotary hydraulic actuators.
Hence, current centralized high pressure hydraulic systems require considerable physical space for both the placement of the central system and the associated piping. Many times a specific room is utilized or required to enclose the central system.
Furthermore, current centralized high pressure hydraulic systems and methods utilize electric motors as a “prime mover” which are repeatedly started and stopped thereby creating a large electric current draw which increases the system acquisition cost as well as operational cost. Alternatively, the electric motors run constantly, most often in a “stand-by” mode wasting electric power and causing wear on system components. Thus, the velocity and force control with current methods involves complex systems that generate heat and waste horsepower.
Moreover, current centralized high pressure hydraulic systems and methods, in many applications, require feedback signals to travel long distances often resulting in system failure.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a system and method for the velocity and force control of actuation of high-pressure hydraulic linear and/or rotary actuators that overcomes the significant shortcomings of the known prior-art as delineated hereinabove.